Updates -
The apartment is quite nice, we are actually really comfortable here. It's quiet and cool and there is tons of room and a big stand of trees to stare while I sit on the deck in the evenings. We also had the following new apartment related conversation the other day:
Me - I thought I would be really scared in this place, what with being so tucked away and on the ground floor, but I've hardly been scared at all.
Paul - Because there are no ghosts here.
Me - *sigh* I didn't want to ask...you haven't seen anything?
Paul - Nope! Ghost free!
So, yeah, I'm pretty much firmly in the 'there are no such thing as ghosts' camp...well, I was. Back in Winnipeg I lived in an apartment that had been converted to a hospital. I never saw anything but when I became the building manager I fairly regularly had tenants move out because they claimed their apartment (or very frequently the elevator) was haunted. Then in the last few months that I lived there, some things happened that I cannot explain, like, at all. Still, I felt that it was generally just kind of silly. A few months ago, when I was having a mini breakdown, I confessed to Paul that I saw all sorts of awfulness in our apartment and he nodded and said that he had hoped that I wasn't seeing any of it so he had never mentioned it. He talked to a friend later on that day and told him what I had said and the friend told him 'that's why I refuse to stay at your apartment overnight anymore'. After that we never spoke of it again...it seemed wisest. Once in a while we would both see something at the same time and sort of glance at each other to confirm and then look away and not discuss it.
Point being...I never believed and never wanted to believe...but I dunno. ACTUAL point being...there's nothing in the new place!
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Paul seems to be getting slowly better. His energy level is back to about 80% he says and his palpitations and chest pain are decreasing. I'm not at all better. Surprise! We went to the doctor again on Thursday and he was very concerned with my description of my symptoms. He sent me straight to the hospital for a bunch of X-rays of my chest and head. I'd never had head X-rays before - they contort you into very weird positions. Then today I had a guy come to the apartment at 8 in the morning and put a heart monitor on me. It's a bit uncomfortable but not too bad, although I bet after 24 hours it will be really unpleasant. It has a digital diary so I press various buttons when I feel various symptoms. Of course, as Paul pointed out, today will probably be the one day out of the last 100 or so that I have no problems.
The new doctor really doesn't know what is wrong, but I liked him anyway because he is the first doctor who seemed genuinely concerned and didn't make my history of depression the cause of all my problems. The only risk factor that I have for heart disease, really, is my weight (I don't smoke, drink or have a family history of heart disease), so the doctor said he would normally not be too concerned but that the way I described my chest pressure and skipped beats he was nervous about the whole thing. So, anyway, I get the results of the X-rays probably on Monday and the heart monitor results a few days after that. In the meanttime, the medical bills for the two of us are piling higher and higher. If we don't get better soon, this illness will ruin us, financially, for life. That is no exaggeration.
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The dogs are adjusting well to their new home, although they have had several accidents already. I have told you before what good babies they are but that they do gross me out sometimes with some of the things they do...skip down to the next row of asterisks if you don't want to read something truly, truly awful.
I am, after hearing a dreadful story from a friend, hypervigilant about checking the dogs' poops for worms when I bag them up. The other day, to my horror, I thought Waffles had pooped out a long, coiled up worm. I called Paul over to check and he stared at it for a while and then closed his eyes and shook his head. I kept asking him what was wrong but he appeared to be unable to speak. Finally, he whispered, 'it's...a condom'. Indeed. We checked the spot where, ahem, last night's condom had been disposed of and it was gone. While we were out grocery shopping he had found it and eaten it. A used condom. Neither Paul nor I were able to talk for about 15 minutes after that. We just kept looking at Waffles, snarfing up his dinner, and shaking our heads.
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It's safe to start reading here again!
Paul has been working long hours, lots of double shifts but the bar is S-L-O-W these days. I've also been very busy...although nobody ever understands how I can have so much to do. Just, frankly, dealing with all the shit that has been piled on us is a full-time job. Nearly every day, it seems, the apartment complex tacks a new note to our door telling us that we owe them money or what have you. Then I have to start sifting through paperwork and photocopying stuff and downloading copies of cashed checks to prove that they are wrong. (Once in a while that actually works...they recently sent us a bill for $170 which we proved was wrong and they only charged us $62 instead. Plus we found out that they owed US $80. Take that, assholes!) Also, we get more bills (both new medical and old, as yet undiscovered, bills from Paul's reckless days) almost every day which is unbelievably exhausting and time consuming because I have to deal with each one, which means mass paperwork and usually many phone calls.
I so badly wanted our lives to be in better order before I could start working again so I wouldn't have to spend hours a day trying to sort out problems, but it looks like that may not happen as I should be able to work really soon. I sure am looking forward to getting out of the house and earning some money. Waffles and Smeagol are NOT looking forward to it.
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A few other things are in the works here too, that I won't go into at the moment - one or two of them are good even! Baffling! But, there are some updates for now. In short, we like the new place, Paul appears to be getting better and I'm trying (although generally failing) to be a little more upbeat.
4 comments:
Know any pastors? Ask one to come bless your house. Or simply get someone who believes to ask a blessing over your dwelling.
*am completely serious. Had friends bless my old apartment during my, um, darker days.*
there are unseen things, and not all of them are benevolent.
Other than that, BWWWWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA on the condom thing. :)
Our old house was haunted by a good ghost, very friendly except our dogs hated her. My downtown apartment gave me bad vibes in the bathroom, if Chris still lives there you should ask him if he feels that too.
TOTALLY agree on the blessing. We recently went to a farm blessing. The couple turned it into a party and it was great! The minister had everyone there join in on the well wishes for the new place.
As for the dog story, that is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.
Reba
I agree on the blesing. The house I grew up in was also haunted, by a friendly something or other. We often wonder how it's doing, since the house sat so empty for so long when everyone moved.
Yuck about the dog, but it doesn't surprise me. My dogs eat wood. They gnaw on our furniture and W has had about enough because they've tagged about every piece in the house.
Glad the new place is working out, but I sincerely hope you start feeling better soon. And I know about hospital bills. Still paying on one of W's that's almost two years old. Debt sucks.
Once you start working, things will improve. I hope you find something great, that gives you the help you need in the budget and maybe even health insurance!
Can't wait to hear about the other stuff!!!
Very interesting...I thought you all would mock me for the supernatural talk. It seems that these days almost everybody has had an 'experience'.
Things remain good on that front here...we haven't seen or felt anything and the dogs do a LOT less of that stare at the wall and cock the head in a confused fashion thing.
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